Hyundai Tucson review

That’s not to say the Tucson is a completely unenjoyable car to point down a challenging stretch of B-road, but secure, stable and sensible ease of use is higher up its list of priorities than outright driver engagement. And given the tasks and duties cars such as this are primarily required to fulfil, that’s as it should be, really.

Being a taller, heavier SUV, the Tucson is never going to be the sort of car you’d relish piloting around a fast, technical track such as Millbrook’s Hill Route. And yet for the most part, it composes itself very tidily indeed.

Body roll is present, and while you can feel its weight shifting around through successive directional changes, the rate of transfer never feels alarming.

Grip is largely good, and its electronic stability systems don’t feel overly intrusive when you do start testing the Tucson’s adhesive limits.

Of course, push too hard through particularly tight corners and the Hyundai’s nose will plough on in a straight line – and it will do so quite suddenly if you’re really not careful – but such transgressions are easily corrected.

Although the gearbox can be a bit slow to kick down, the torque fill provided by the electric motor helps to mask any accelerative lull that results. There’s plenty of punch on tap here to push the car up even the steepest inclines at a reasonable lick.

Comfort and isolation

Credit to Hyundai: it has near as dammit nailed the Tucson’s driving position. The front chairs err on the firmer side of things but provide good support for your thighs and torso, while excellent adjustability in the seat base and steering column allows you to position yourself close to the wheel without leaving you hunched over the pedals. 

With a taller hip point, visibility is good enough for trundling around town or sitting on the motorway, although the fairly steeply raked A-pillars that lend the Tucson its swept-back looks can slightly obscure your line of sight during cornering.

At a cruise, the cabin is generally pretty isolated, save for some wind whistle around the large door mirrors, and although road roar is present, it’s far from a grating experience.

We recorded 67dB of cabin noise at 70mph, a figure that stacks up well against 68dB readings taken in 2.0 TDI versions of the Audi Q5 and Volkswagen Tiguan a few years back.

Ride comfort is generally good, save for the aforementioned jostling on more lumpen, unevenly surfaced stretches of asphalt. At town speeds, the Tucson can come across as a touch firm by family SUV standards, but it still manages to smooth over most secondary impacts with little fuss. 

So the Tucson is a comfortable car over long distances, if not quite as accomplished as the Honda CR-V. It’s more comfortable at higher speeds than on more uneven, slower B-roads. 

Priced at £34,000, the Tucson significantly undercuts rivals including the Ford Kuga and the Volkswagen Tiguan. Compare it to the CR-V in PHEV guise and it’s almost a staggering £15,000 cheaper.

Standard equipment is really rather good. Entry-level Advance models get 17in wheels, LED headlights, front and rear parking sensors, ambient lighting and keyless entry. 

Premium cars gain larger 18in wheels, scuff plates, leather and cloth seats, wireless phone charging, heated seats in the front and back, plus more advanced safety equipment such as adaptive cruise control and junction turning warning. 

N Line cars get more aggressive styling, 19in wheels, red detailing and N Line seats. N Line S, meanwhile gets electric seats with ventilation functions, a panoramic sunroof, blind spot monitoring and more powerful LED headlights.